X-Press Pearl ship disaster (Sri Lanka)
The ship X-Press Pearl, carrying chemicals and plastic pellets, was lost off Colombo in 2021. A London court limited the owners' liability to about £20 million; Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ordered an interim US$1 billion, which had not been paid at the latest report.
Figures as stated in the rulings and not converted. The first US$250m of the Sri Lankan award was due on 23 September 2025 and was not paid.
Status As of September 2025: the Sri Lankan Supreme Court's US$1bn interim award had not been paid; the English limitation decree stands and the Singapore proceedings are ongoing.
- The ship's owner and its P&I club — Liability limited in the English decree to 19,159,937 SDR (fund of about £19.99m) CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)
- Sri Lanka (claimant) — The US$1bn interim award ordered by its Supreme Court was unpaid at the latest report gCaptain
- Sea turtles, dolphins and whales — 417 turtles, 48 dolphins and 8 whales reported dead Mongabay
What happened
The ship X-Press Pearl, carrying chemicals and plastic pellets, was involved in an incident off Colombo, Sri Lanka, between 20 May and 2 June 2021. It sank in 2021.
In England, a court decree of 3 July 2023 limited the owners' liability to 19,159,937 SDR (special drawing rights), the figure under the Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims (LLMC). The limitation fund was about £19.99 million, backed by an undertaking from the owner's P&I (Protection and Indemnity) insurance club in London. A later judgment, [2024] EWHC 3174 (Admlty), extended the limitation to slot charterers.
On 24 July 2025 the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ordered an interim payment of US$1 billion, with the first US$250 million due on 23 September 2025. It also found that the then State Minister, Nalaka Godahewa, and the head of the marine environment authority had violated the public's constitutional rights. According to the case summary, the court did not recognise the liability cap. Mongabay reported 417 turtles, 48 dolphins and 8 whales dead.
The owner did not pay the first instalment. It said it could not pay "whilst we continue to seek engagements with the relevant Sri Lankan authorities", according to gCaptain. The owner and the P&I club say that jurisdiction lies in Singapore. In Singapore, Sri Lanka argues that, under article 4 of the LLMC, the owner's personal act, intent or recklessness removes the right to limit liability.
Press reports in August 2025 said that the owner company had been dissolved and that enforcing the Sri Lankan judgment in Singapore faced obstacles. The sources reviewed treat these reports as unverified.
- 202120 May to 2 June: X-Press Pearl incident off Colombo (chemicals and plastic pellets)
- 20233 July: English decree limits the owners' liability to 19,159,937 SDR; limitation fund about £19.99m
- 2024[2024] EWHC 3174 (Admlty) extends limitation to slot charterers
- 202524 July: Sri Lanka Supreme Court orders US$1bn interim payment; 23 September: first US$250m due, not paid
What was said
“whilst we continue to seek engagements with the relevant Sri Lankan authorities”
“an extraordinary and deeply troubling turn of events”
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
Decree of 3 July 2023 limited the owners' liability to 19,159,937 SDR; [2024] EWHC 3174 (Admlty) extended the limitation to slot charterers.
CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)Ordered an interim US$1bn on 24 July 2025, with the first US$250m due on 23 September 2025. According to the case summary, it did not recognise the liability cap.
MongabayDid not pay; said it could not pay "whilst we continue to seek engagements with the relevant Sri Lankan authorities". Says over US$170m has been paid through its insurer and that jurisdiction lies in Singapore.
gCaptainCalled the ruling "an extraordinary and deeply troubling turn of events"; declines further payment.
In Singapore it argues that the owner's personal act, intent or recklessness (LLMC article 4) removes the right to limit liability.
CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)How it looked
Shown
- The owner and its P&I club said that jurisdiction lies in Singapore and declined further payment.X-Press Pearl owner and its P&I club
- The owner said that over US$170m had been paid through its insurer.X-Press Pearl owner
Recorded
- Sri Lanka Supreme Court, 24 July 2025: US$1bn interim payment ordered; first US$250m due 23 September 2025; the owner did not pay.
- English limitation decree, 3 July 2023: 19,159,937 SDR; fund about £19.99m under a London P&I club undertaking.
- Mongabay reported 417 turtles, 48 dolphins and 8 whales dead after the incident.
- Daily FT (13 August 2025) reported that enforcing the Sri Lankan judgment in Singapore faces legal obstacles.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- X-Press Pearl owner (2025): Did not pay the first US$250m instalment; said it could not pay "whilst we continue to seek engagements with the relevant Sri Lankan authorities". Says over US$170m has been paid through its insurer and that jurisdiction lies in Singapore. · gCaptain
- The owner's P&I club (2025): Called the Sri Lankan ruling "an extraordinary and deeply troubling turn of events"; declines further payment and says jurisdiction lies in Singapore.
- Government of Sri Lanka (2025): In Singapore it argues that the owner's personal act, intent or recklessness (LLMC article 4) defeats the right to limit liability. · CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2025-07-24Claimant won$1bn interim payment ordered; first US$250m due 23 September 2025Supreme Court of Sri Lanka ruling on the X-Press Pearl disasterSupreme Court of Sri Lanka · Civil · Not specified in the sources reviewed → The ship's owner and related parties; the then State Minister and the head of the marine environment authority were also found to have violated constitutional rights
The court ordered an interim payment of US$1bn and found that two public officials had violated the public's constitutional rights. According to the case summary, it did not recognise the liability cap. The owner did not pay the first instalment. Mongabay
- 2023-07-03Claimant wonSDR 19159.94bn limitation amount; fund of about £19.99mLimitation of liability, X-Press Pearl (England)English court, London (Admiralty) · Civil · Owner of the X-Press Pearl (limitation claimant) → Claimants against the limitation fund
Decree of 3 July 2023 limiting the owners' liability to 19,159,937 SDR under the LLMC, with a limitation fund of about £19.99m under a London P&I club undertaking. The judgment [2024] EWHC 3174 (Admlty) extended the limitation to slot charterers. CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)
- OngoingProceedings in Singapore over the right to limit liability and enforcementSingapore (court not identified in the sources reviewed) · Civil · Sri Lanka → Owner and P&I club (not named in verified sources)
Sri Lanka argues that the owner's personal act, intent or recklessness (LLMC article 4) removes the right to limit liability. The owner and the P&I club say that jurisdiction lies in Singapore. CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)
Insurers
- 2023In litigationThe owner's P&I club (London) → Owner of the X-Press PearlStated reason: Liability limitation under the LLMC
The limitation fund was constituted under a London club undertaking. The owner says over US$170m has been paid through its insurer. The club declines further payment after the Sri Lankan ruling and says that jurisdiction lies in Singapore. CMLCMI database (maritime liability case database)
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Not measured Harm to nature: The record holds no measurement of harm to nature.
Figures
- Insufficient Compensation paid: The owner's statement of amounts paid through its insurer; not independently confirmed.
- Insufficient Compensation paid: Reported payment to 15,032 fishers affected by the fishing ban (Newsfirst); not independently verified.
Accounts
- Disputed Is the owners' liability capped at the LLMC limit, and where can the claim be decided?
Record
- None on record How much of the Sri Lankan award will ever be paid: the owner declined the first instalment and the sources reviewed record no payment.
- Unclear Whether the Sri Lankan judgment can be enforced in Singapore: Daily FT (13 August 2025) reported that enforcement faces obstacles.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: that the owner company, EOS RO Pte Ltd, has been dissolved.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: the other parties named in one case-database entry, namely the bareboat charterer Killiney Shipping, the time charterer Sea Consortium (X-Press Feeders), the P&I club London Steam-Ship Owners' Mutual and the Singapore flag.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: a payment of Rs 911 million to 15,032 fishers affected by the fishing ban, in August 2022 (Newsfirst), at Rs 80,000 to 240,000 per person.
- Insufficient Reported but not independently verified: a travel ban placed on the ship's captain.
- Insufficient The owner's statement that over US$170m has been paid through its insurer: not independently confirmed in the sources reviewed.
Did the harm stop?
The sources reviewed do not record when the pollution ended or whether the clean-up was completed.
Who paid?
Under the English decree the owners' liability was limited to 19,159,937 SDR (a fund of about £19.99 million). The owner says over US$170 million has been paid through its insurer. The US$1 billion interim award of Sri Lanka's Supreme Court was unpaid at the latest report.
Sources
Press and investigations
- X-Press Pearl compensation dispute with Sri Lanka intensifiesThe Maritime Executive ·
- Sri Lanka Supreme Court orders $1 bn payment in X-Press Pearl marine disasterMongabay · 2025-07-29
- Rs 911 mn received for X-Press Pearl compensationNewsfirst · 2022-08-27
Standard-setters and registries
- X-Press Pearl case recordCMLCMI database (maritime liability case database) ·